The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is THE TOUR in Hue. It’s promoted and available everywhere around the city and not really expensive (300.000-380.000 VND) … buuut … I don’t really like going on tours. I hate it when you are herded around, not able to stay longer if you like and (at least in Southeast Asia) have breaks at random money making stops (shops, restaurants, “factories” …) … and are usually served a cold tasteless lunch. So I go to the sights on my own if at all possible and if time permits.

But I was really thinking on doing the DMZ tour, because I was short on time. Luckily I’ve read a few reviews and quickly decided not to do it, because it seems that the majority of the day is spent driving around, the time at the sights is very limited and they are supposedly very hard to appreciate (a rock, a road, a bridge …). This article about the DMZ tour from Hue especially convinced me not to go.

But there is one stop on the DMZ tour that most of the reviews/people agree on that is worth seeing – the Vinh Moc tunnels. And I knew that I wanted to visit those even before reading about the DMZ, ever since I’ve visited the Cu Chi tunnels last year when I was in Ho Chi Minh.

Hue – the former imperial city – where it’s maybe good to stay a day, but you really won’t miss that much if you skip it.

Its main attraction is the Imperial Citadel, the former imperial seat of the Nguyen Dynasty which ruled Vietnam from Hue between 1802 and 1945. The second place goes to the many Tombs of the Emperors spread in and around Hue. And that, together with the Thien Mu Pagoda, is about it.

A very famous road exists in Central Vietnam … a road made famous by Top Gear Vietnam special … a road between Hoi An (or Danang) and Hue that crosses one of Vietnam’s most scenic mountain passes – the Hai Van Pass.

My Son (Hindu) temples were built in the time of the Kingdom of Champa (4th to 14th century AD) and were dedicated to worship of the god Shiva. The ruins were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and you’ll see a picture of them hanging outside of almost every “tour agency” in Hoi An. But are they worth a visit?